Road to Champion: (Chap. two) Pewter Gym Showdown
by Phantom
Summary: The new journey unfolds!


--------------Disclaimer--------------If I don't own them, I'm borrowing them. Otherwise the characters you read about are hauntings from my own subconcous. I'm just a poor college student working for a creative outlet. Hope you enjoy this story. 

Feed back is welcomed and appreciated. See errors? See a hole? Want to let your feelings be known?--------------Contact info:--------------email me @ Vandeven@badlands.nodak.eduRoad to Champion is found at:http://www.enetis.net/~rvande/pokemon.html--------------And now....Road to ChampionA Pokemon Fan fiction by Phantom(Stuart VandeVenter)-------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Welcome to Pewter City, B-chan!" Phantom exclaimed as he and the little Pokemon walked into town. 

"Squirtle, Squirtle, SQUIRTLE!" little B-chan said from beside him. He was very excited for some reason or another. Perhaps it was the pending Pokemon League battle. It might just be the fact that he was just a hyper Pokemon. Whatever the reason, Phantom shared his excitement, but in a much more subdued manner. 

Phantom couldn't wait to get his first badge from Brock. That was if he could win. With B-chan at his side though, he knew that no rock Pokemon would have a chance against him. He hoped. Phantom reached down and brought B-chan into his arms and gave him a big hug. 

"Together There is nothing we can't do!!!" Phantom exclaimed. 

"Squirtle!" answered B-chan happily. 

"You really like Pokemon Don't you?" the voice behind Phantom was firm, almost mocking in a way. Beyond that, though, It was familiar. 

Phantom turned around to see a trainer standing before him, decked out in leather and a blue bandana. The trainer was familiar. "Blue!" he exclaimed. 

Blue cracked his new friend a big smile. 

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Log 2: Pewter Gym Showdown!----------------------------------- 

----Pewter City 

Phantom, Blue, and B-chan stood next to each other in Pewter City. 

"How's the collecting going?" Phantom asked as he shook Blue's hand. His loss to Blue's Bulbasaur still stung a little, but he wasn't going to hold it against him. He was NOT like Raoul or John. Not in the least. 

Blue shrugged, "A little of this, a little of that." he said. "Actually I found a trainer that wanted to trade extra Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander!" 

Phantom collapsed to the ground in the biggest face fault in Pokemon history. 

"Squirt?" came B-chan's sympathetic voice from beside him. 

"YOU HAVE TWO OF EACH?!?!" Phantom was astonished. "Where did you find a trainer crazy enough to trade to you?!" 

"Well, I wish I could tell you, but I can't reveal my sources. I can tell you this guy was crazy. Something about trainer a whole team of pidgeys. That's all it cost me. I'll trade you my extra Charmander and Bulbasaur for a Metapod and Kakuna." 

Phantom thought for a moment and then pulled out his Pokedex. Sure enough he had an extra of each! "YES!" Phantom cried jumping into the air and clicking his heels. He stopped short for a moment as he realized it was too good to be true. "It's not really a fair trade is it?" 

"Was it really a fair trade that I got them for a couple of Pidgeys?" smirked Blue. Blue of course wasn't going to devulge the information that these two Pokemon were the most disobedient he had ever seen or heard of. 

"Then you've got a deal." smiled back Phantom. 

Blue and Phantom trotted off to the Pokemon center. Phantom dropped off his Pokemon with Nurse Joy first. She gave him a cute little smile and he headed he went to the Pokemon PC that had a direct line to his storage unit at Bill's Lighthouse. After a quick recall, it didn't take much time before Phantom was the owner of two new Pokemon! 

"Thanks, Phantom. Happy training!" Blue said, and with that, was gone in a flash. 

"Thanks, Blue! Be seeing ya!" Phantom called to his retreating friend. 

Phantom slipped his two new Pokemon onto his belt and walked over to where Nurse Joy was waiting with his Pokeballs and little B-chan. 

"You're Pokemon are ready and waiting, Phantom!" she smiled. 

"Thanks, Joy!" he answered with a smile. He turned to say something to B-chan, and then suddenly did a double take. 

"You know," he said to Nurse Joy, "I'd say you're almost more beautiful than your sister in Viridian" He smiled, then turned to B-chan as Joy blushed slightly. "Okay, B-chan, are you ready for our first challenge." 

"SQUIRTLE! SQUIRT!" 

"Oh my, are you going to take that little thing up against Brock's Onix?!?" asked Nurse Joy getting over her blush. 

"Onix?" Phantom questioned yanking out his Pokedex, "I wonder if I have any info on that." He frowned, naturally he didn't. He racked his brain for information he had learned while with Bill. It was a Rock Pokemon that was all he could remember at the moment. 

"Squirt!?" all the sudden Phantom found B-chan hiding behind his legs in fear. 

"Hey, B-chan! What is it? You were all ready a minute ago!" 

"Onix is a gigantic Rock snake. It is almost 28 feet in length!" said Nurse Joy thoughtfully. 

"But it's a Rock Pokemon! B-chan could take it down before it knows what hit it!" 

"Squirt...." 

"It's possible. Your little Squirtle seems very strong. If you have faith in him, I'm sure he'll do great!" 

"Thanks, Joy. What do you say, B-chan?" Phantom asked, encouragement in his voice. 

B-chan took a step forward and buffed himself up a little. "SQUIRTLE!" 

"That's right! Let's do it!" Phantom yelled faithfully, cracking his knuckles. 

---- Pewter City Gym 

B-chan and Phantom walked slowly into the Pewter Gym battle arena. It was decorated all around with rocks and dirt. At the far end sat Brock, Rock Pokemon trainer. His brown spiky hair looked as hard as the Geodude that was floating next to him. His eyes were set in a perpetual squint. Phantom pondered how he could see. 

"Brock!" Phantom called confidently. "I am Phantom from the Town of Pallet! I have come to challenge you for a Boulder Badge." 

"Good to see you again, Phantom." Brock answered to the challenge. 

Phantom reached up and scratched his head, then realigned the glasses on his nose. Had he met Brock before? Then it hit him, "Oh! Brock! I didn't know you were Gym leader here! Last time I saw you, you came by with a young boy and girl at Bill's lighthouse!" 

"Yes, but that was a little while ago. That adventure is over, and I am back here. I train, I battle, I do a lot of breeding." he smiled, the quickly added, "Of Pokemon." he waved his hand to dismiss any further thought on the subject, "But I'm sure you could care less about what I do here..." 

"Well, I'd love to chat, but I also want to get a Boulder Badge!" Phantom broke into a grin, "If any group of visitors made me want to get out from behind my computer and training it was you and your friends." 

Phantom though for a moment, "Ash and Misty wasn't it?" He questioned, then snapped his fingers, "Ash was the most recent champion!" 

"That's right. He's off on sabbatical now though, the champion position is free right now." he snapped his fingers and the arena lights came full up and he walked towards the trainer box. 

"So I welcome you, Phantom, to your first league challenge. I will not go easy on you." he smiled and indicated his Geodude. "You must beat my two best. I will start with Geodude!" he pointed to the center of the arena with confidence. "GO!" 

Phantom decided that friendly idle chat was over and smiled. "All right, then." 

"Squirtle Squirt!" cried B-chan as he jumped up on Phantom's head. 

"I choose my Squirtle. B-chan, GO!!!" 

"SQUIRTLE!" little B-chan cried as he leapt for the Geodude coming at him full force. 

"Don't waste time with physical attacks, B-chan. BUBBLE!" 

"Smash him before it's too late Geodude! ROCK THROW!" 

The rock throw sent by the Geodude was blown away as B-chan's bubble tore through and hit home. The Geodude went spinning away in the blast. 

"Geodude. Geodude." said the Pokemon more annoyed than affected. 

"SQUIRTLE?!" exclaimed B-chan in fear. 

Phantom yanked out his Pokedex confused. By all rights the Geodude should of been down for the count. Water beats Rock, simple as that. The Pokedex returned the Geodude's stats. It was a lot tougher than it looked. 

"Geodude has a lot of experience with water." said Brock with a smile. "Tackle!" 

"Squirtle..." B-chan cried out as he took the hit and fell down hard. 

"Never give up, B-chan! Slow it down with your Bubble attack! Keep it up!" 

B-chan nodded as it jumped back up. "SQUIRTLE!!!!! SQUIRT!" the spray of bubbles hit the Geodude. It slowed and weakened in the fine bubbly mist this time. 

"That's it B-chan! Now, Water Gun!" 

"Defense Curl Geodude before it's to late!" cried Brock. 

Unfortunately it was. The mist slowed the Geodude down just enough to let the water gun attack hit home. This time when the Geodude hit the wall it lay still and mumbled, "Geo.... Geo. Dude." 

""It's all right Geodude." said Brock, "Return. I'm please to see you've trained this Squirtle to a good point for this battle." he grabbed his second ball, " But let us see how it can handle this! Onix, go!" 

The huge Onix reared it's large head as it appeared from its Pokeball. It let out a monstrous roar at B-chan. 

"Squirtle...." B-chan spoke cowering slightly 

"Tackle, Onix." 

"Stand your grand, B-chan, and hit it with your water gun!" Phantom called. 

"Squirtle!" yelled B-chan as he gained some confidence from his trainer. He flashed his peace sign and spun around. 

"SQUIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTLE!" joined the sound of the powerful jet of water that escaped his mouth and covered the large rock snake. 

Though it noticeably slowed down the giant Onix, it still broke through and hit the small Squirtle sending it sliding across the floor and into Phantom. Phantom landed flat on his butt with B-chan in his lap. 

"Squirt. Squirtle. Squirtle, squirt." B-chan said sympathetically to Phantom, tears running down his eyes. 

"Don't go softly into the dark night... Rage Rage..." Phantom spoke softly to himself. "Remember what I said when we came into town?" he asked his Pokemon. 

The Onix's roar came loud and clear from the arena, almost drowning out B-chan's question of his trainer, "Squirtle Squirt?" 

"Phantom! Return your Pokemon to the ring or claim defeat. I can not stray from the rules even for a friend." said Brock from the other side of the Gym. 

"Together there is nothing we can't do!" shouted Phantom. 

B-chan's eyes gleamed and a new strength seemed to wash over him, "SQUIRTLE!" he cried lifting himself and Phantom to their feet. 

"Right! GO! TAIL WHIP!" 

"Squirtle Squirt Squirt! Squirtle Squirt Squirt!" said B-chan mocking the Onix as he reentered the ring. 

"Hold your ground Onix! Stay strong and Bind it!" commanded Brock. 

Onix roared as it obeyed its trainer. B-chan watched as the strong tail of obsidian black stone came rushing for him. Rushing. Rushing. Phantom watched and waited. Waited. 

Then. "NOW! WATER GUN!" yelled Phantom. 

B-chan put all his power into the water gun. He didn't even voice it he concentrated so hard. The force of the gun and the pushing of Onix's attack set the large Rock Pokemon off balance. It was enough. Onix collapsed to the arena floor with a loud crash. 

B-chan huffed and puffed, exhausted from his final attack. Brock walked slowly to his Pokemon, a super potion in hand. "Onix... Heal friend." he spoke softly spraying the potion. 

"YOU DID IT!" Phantom cried rushing to B-chan. B-chan cooed happily, yet tired. Phantom looked to Brock. "Will Onix be okay?" 

"Sure will." answered Brock. "Return, Onix." He put his Pokeball away then looked from Phantom to B-chan. "Um Phantom..." he began, "Your Squirtle..." 

Phantom looked down at B-chan and jumped back. He was glowing! 

"B...B...B-chan!?!? What's going on!" Phantom cried as he grabbed him and held him at arms length. "Speak to me! Speak to me!" 

"Congratulations, Phantom. Not only do you receive a Boulder Badge, but your Squirtle is evolving." 

"He's WHAT?!" Phantom gasped as he grabbed his Pokedex and watched in awe the process before him. Sure enough Squirtle grew slightly, his tail expanding, little rudders appearing on his head and his teeth and claws became sharper. 

"All right, B-chan." Phantom said quietly under his breath. 

"WARTORTLE! " 

Phantom collected B-chan into a hug. "You're the greatest, B-chan!" 

"War. Tor. Tle." said B-chan with affection. 

"It has been awhile since I have seen such affection between Pokemon and trainer that have passed through here. The last trainer, though very good, was mean spirited at best. His Pokemon may have obeyed him but it was more out of fear than respect. Except that Bulbasaur of his, it was as mean as he was!" 

"Raoul...." Phantom said through clenched teeth. "I should of known he'd be a step ahead of me. And he's being mean to his Pokemon no less." 

"War..." said B-chan sadly. 

"I'm sure you'll get a chance to show him what it really means to be a trainer." Brock said with confidence. 

Phantom nodded solemnly, he would. Raoul had been a jerk to him since they were little kids. Phantom only ever wanted to be his friend. Raoul would have none of that, though. That meant they were rivals in everything and anything they did, Pokemon training and all. 

"You keep loving and respecting your Pokemon, Phantom, and they will go to the ends of the Earth for you." He handed Phantom the Boulder Badge. 

"Your next challenge lies in Cerulean City, beyond Mt. Moon." said Brock. "Make sure you say hi to Misty for me, there." Brock said with a wink. 

Phantom blushed furiously. Sure Misty was cute, but she was a little young for him. He shook it off and looked at the smiling Brock and smirked, "At least I don't go into dumb mode when I see a pretty girl." 

Brock coughed, "Um, well. yes." 

Phantom decided to let Brock off the hook and just smiled. "Thanks for the suggestions and compliments Brock. Your Pokemon are really cool." 

"They are even more impressive when fighting Pokemon that don't have such a strength against them." smirked Brock. 

Phantom grew a visible sweat drop but quickly shook it off the back of his head, "Well..." he began. 

"Don't be ashamed of using that strategy. To use knowledge against ones opponents is both wise and appropriate. Remember that you can beat a much stronger opponent if you use their weakness against them." he smiled. "Be careful as you enter Mt. Moon. I heard some rumors of Pokemon thieves in the area, Team Rocket to be exact." 

"Team Rocket..." Phantom whispered thoughtfully, "I'll be careful, Brock. Thanks again." he waved enthusiastically and took B-chan first into his arms then situated him onto his shoulder. "LET'S DO IT, B-CHAN!" 

"WARTORTLE!"---------------------To Be continued in Log3---------------------Next time on Road to Champion! 

Raoul: I don't CARE if it is in my contract! I will NOT promote that dufus, Phantom! 

Raoul: You do you mean I'M a snot nosed jerk??? Oh... Well... YOU'RE the one writing me!!! 

Raoul: All right, all right.  Next time, the Dufus journey's towards Mt. Moon and gets his first taste of real Pokemon training. 

Raoul:  Yeah I hear he gets his butt kicked! YES! 

Raoul:  Stupid omnipotent authors... anyway he gets some real training in and he's not the only one to learn things! 

Raoul: Course next issue sucks, because I'm not in it! 

Raoul:  See ya then.... 

--------------Contact info:--------------Feed back is welcomed and appreciated.email me @ Vandeven@badlands.nodak.eduRoad to Champion is found at:http://www.enetis.net/~rvande/pokemon.htmlICQ: 35170825IM: Stu Dog21-------------- 


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